[Marcos Myrie]

I just finished replacing my headgasket on my car. I bought a head from the junk yard and got it rebuilt. (Replaced valve seals and so on). After I finished putting the car back together, it was running perfect. One day I left it to idle while I was washing my hands. I just herd a clank sound and the car shut off. After trying to start it back up, it would crank and then stop at a certain point. Then we tried turning the crank and found out that the engine was jammed. There was still full oil in the engine. I don't know what to do. I am thinking weather I should buy a low mileage JDM motor. Or trying to rebuild this one. What do you guys think the best thing to do. I didn't pull apart the engine yet to figure out what is wrong with it. I am only 17 and it took me forever to get the funds to rebuild the engine. Now I am only $75 away from getting the rest of cash for the JDM Engine. Here is a list of what I did while I replaced the head. HKS 1.2mm headgasket, ARP Head bolts, 6 NGK Platinum Spark Plugs(Know they aren't the best for the 7MGTE), MSD Spark Plug Wires, replaced all seals, timing belt, all drive belts, oil, antifreeze, lower radiator hose, oil cooler lines and a few other little things. I know even if I buy a JDM motor, I am going to use back all of these parts. But it just hurt so bad that after I rebuilt the engine then this decides to happen. If I had known from the beginning, I would have just bought the JDM engine to begin with. Any advice would do. Thanks.

 

[Kruso]

Check your timing belt. . . although that would not explain the "clank" noise you heard, that seems to be the only logical explanation to this situation. Open the front timing cover and make sure none of the two cam gears didnt come loose and are jamming the whole system. Is the car auto or a 5spd? How did you guys "turn the crank" Could the reason its not cranking be something electrical? (ie the alarm?)

Kruso

 

[Marcos Myrie]

not cranking

The reason it isn't cranking is because it is jammed. We turn the engine by using a rachet with a socket on the crank bolt. If you turn the engine to the part before it get stuck and try to crank it, it will crank until it hit the spot where it keep getting jammed at. I didn't take off the timing cover completely yet. But losened it. The I did take off the valve covers and everthing seemed to be fine. So I just figured that it was something in the bottom end. Let me know if I did something wrong. Thanks.

 

[Marcos Myrie]

5spd

Oh sorry forgot to answer one of the questions. The car is 5 speed.

 

[GrimJack]

Pull the cams and yank the shims and buckets on each valve. Look for one where the keepers have popped out and the valve has dropped into the cylinder.

Do them one at a time, so you don't confuse the order.

 

[supraNa1990]

do as grimjack said
mostly the valve came loose and got caught and not it is stuck
take off the head again and check for damage.
if the valve is shattered by the piston coming up then you might have to put a new engine in there cause of the valve
if you luck you can take it a part and rebuild the whole thing.
just clean out every little nook and cranny.